Axle-straightener.



N0. 805,681. PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

J. S. & W. H. STEADHAM. AXLE STRA'IGHTENER.

APPLIGKTION FILED AUG.21,1905.

I JIHH'HIHIM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. STEADHAM AND WILLIAM H. STEADHAM, OF ROYSE CITY, TEXAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed August 21, 1905. Serial No. 275,088.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN S. STEADHAM and WILLIAM H. STEADHAM, citizensof the United States, residing at Royse City, in the county of Rockwalland State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAxle-Straighteners; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in devices for straightening themetallic axles of buggies and other vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable, andcomparatively inexpensive device of this character by means of which anaxle may be quickly and easily strai htened without removing it from thevehic e and without heating it.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter described and claime In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improvedaxle-straightening device, showing the same in use upon the axle of avehicle. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale,taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1; and Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are transversesectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 3 8, 4 4, and 5 5 inFig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1 denotes the body of the device,which has at one end a clip 2 to engage the axle 3, at its intermediateportion a brace 4, adapted to engage the bent portion of the axle, andat its opposite end an axle-engaging clip 5 and means for adjusting saidclip to bend or straighten the axle. The body 1 may be cast or formed inany suitable manner; but we preferably construct it, as shown in thedrawings, from a strip of heavy sheet metal by bending the same uponitself at its center to form a tubular socket or eye 6 and then bend ingit adjacent to its ends to form spaced sides 7 and a reduced end 8. Theend 8 and a portion 9 adjacent to the eye 6 have the two thicknesses ofthe strip of metal riveted or otherwise secured together, as shown at10, and the end 8 is tapered longitudinally from about the center of thebody, as shown. The clip 2 is preferably in the form of a U-shaped stripof metal through which the axle 3 and the body 1 extend. The said clip 2may be adjusted longitudinally to any desired point upon the end 8, andits length may be varied by providing its ends or arms with a series ofalining openings 11, through any two of which is passed a bolt 12. Thelatter, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, is engaged by thebody 1.

of the axle, as shown in Fig. 1, is adjustable longitudinally in theopened or slotted intermediate portion of the body 1, formed by thespaced sides 7. This brace 4 consists of a block having aslightly-concaved face 13 at one end to engage the axle and at itsopposite end a reduced stem 14 to project through the space between thesides 7. This stem 14 is screw-threaded, and upon its outer portion isprovided a washer and a clamping-nut 15.

The axle-engaging clip 5 is of U form and is pivoted by a bolt 16 to ascrew 17, which extends through a spool or block 18, provided in thebent portion or eye 6 at the end of the body 1. Said screw 17 is in theform of an eyebolt, its eye 19 being disposed between the ends or armsof the clip 5 and receiving the bolt 16,which also passes throu h saidends or arms. A washer 20 is preferably provided upon the bolt or screw17 and upon the outer threaded end of the latter is provided a nut 21,which has a projecting crank or handle 22.

The construction, use, and advantages of the invention will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings. It will be seen that when the device is appliedto a vehicle-axle, as shomi in Fig. 1, and the nut 21 is screwedinwardly upon the screw 17 the axle. will be straightened between theclips 2 5 and the brace 4.

Having thus described ourinvention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An axle-straightening device comprising a body, an adjustableaxle-engagin clip at one end of said body, an adjustable raceintermediate the ends of said body, an eye bolt extending transverselythrough the other end of said body, a nut upon the threaded end of saidboltand an axle-engaging clip pivoted to the eye of said bolt.

2. An axle-straightening device comprising a body having an opening atone end and a longitudinally-extending slot intermediate its ends, ascrew-bolt extending through the opening in said end, a nut upon thethreaded The brace 4, which is adapted to be engaged with the bentportion IIO end of said bolt, an axle-engaging clip upon the oppositeend of said bolt, an aXleengaging clip adjustable upon the opposite endof said body and an axle-engaging brace having a screw-threaded steinprojecting through the slot in said body and a nut upon said stein,substantially as described.

3. An axle-straightening device comprising a body formed of a strip ofmetal bent upon itself to provide a tubular portion at one end andaslotted portion intermediate its ends, the two ends of said body beingriveted together, a sleeve or spool in the tubular portion of said body,an eyebolt extending through said sleeve or s 001, a nut upon thethreaded end of said b0 t, an axle-engaging clip pivoted to the eye ofsaid bolt, an axleengaging clip adjustably mounted upon the opposite endof said body, an axle-engaging brace having a screw-threaded steinproject- 20 set our hands in presence of tWo subscribing 2 5 Witnesses.

JOHN S. STEADHAM. WILLIAM H. STEADHAM.

Witnesses:

H. D. GROVE, W. L. BROOKS.

